[DeTomaso] Difficulty starting the Pantera...

Fri Aug 21 09:16:06 EDT 2020

I wonder why no one makes/sells a gated charge storage device to provide a few seconds of full voltage to the ignition electronics during battery voltage dip during starter motor.
I would think the audio guys with the super bass drivers would have something.
A diode and a couple big caps would be old school, sure that has to be something new that would have a higher storage density (fast charge dry battery?)
joe

-----Original Message-----
From: DeTomaso <detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com> On Behalf Of Sean Korb
Sent: Friday, August 21, 2020 8:34 AM
To: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Difficulty starting the Pantera...

+1 for Rich's answer.  On start, the voltage will sag at the battery,
less than a volt for a new battery but a half sulfated one will sag to 9V easy.  That's way too low a voltage to run the electronics and power your coil even if you are getting good starter amperage.

sean

On 8/20/20, Rich Hoppe <richbhoppe at gmail.com> wrote:
> When the starter is driven the voltage drops below the unilite range.  
> If you add the Costco battery jumper it keeps the voltage high enough 
> to not happen.
>
> Rich
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Aug 20, 2020, at 5:01 PM, Larry Stock <larrys at panteraparts.com> wrote:
>>
>> The Mallory Unilite ignition was better than most unless it's the 
>> one with the ignition module built into the distributor. That one is 
>> a dud in Pantera's
>>
>> Larry
>>
>>
>> On 8/20/20, 4:32 PM, "DeTomaso on behalf of Mike Drew via DeTomaso"
>> <detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com on behalf of 
>> detomaso at server.detomasolist.com> wrote:
>>
>>    Garth,
>>
>>    Ugh. Unilite.
>>
>>    The stock wiring scheme sends the full 12v to the coil during the 
>> starting circuit and then drops down to 9v or so from the run 
>> circuit. Is it possible yours is getting only 9v all the time?
>>
>>    Personally I wouldn’t spend much time or effort diagnosing an 
>> ignition problem with a Unilite installed. A Unilite IS an ignition 
>> problem IMHO.....
>>
>>    Mike (had a Unilite on my Pantera when I first bought it and 
>> frequently had starting problems....)
>>
>>    Sent from my iPad
>>
>>> On Aug 20, 2020, at 15:52, Garth Rodericks via DeTomaso 
>>> <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>    Sending this to the brain-trust for some collective wisdom on where
>>> and
>>>  what to check first before I drop $100 on a new battery...
>>>  The Problem:
>>>  The engine will crank and crank and crank, but it won't light/fire.
>>>  Only when I release the key from the 'start' position after 10-20  
>>> seconds of cranking, it sounds like it just tries to light for a  
>>> seconds, but doesn't catch.
>>>  The battery is an Optima Red top, but I'm not sure how old it is. 
>>> Date  code is 6033, which most likely means 2/2/2016.  I don't 
>>> remember  replacing the battery only 4 years ago, but I must have.
>>>  Battery voltage before cranking = 12.4v to 12.55v  I believe 
>>> voltage in the 12.0-12.4v range means it's low.  It also  doesn't 
>>> seem to hold a charge long, so I expect it's sulfated.
>>>  If I add my little portable battery booster ($60 from Costo), it 
>>> will  usually start.
>>>  The engine doesn't crank any faster, but the engine fires this time.
>>>  I was thinking I might need a new battery, but wanted to see if 
>>> there's  something else I should check first before dropping $100 on a battery.
>>>  The ignition is a Pantera Electronics Electronic Ignition System 
>>> (EIS)  with a Mallory Unilite distributor (with a newer module).
>>>  Thanks!
>>>  Garth
>>>  #4033
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--
Sean Korb spkorb at gmail.com http://spkorb.org (est 1994) "Computers are useless.  They can only give you answers." -P. Picasso _______________________________________________

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